Car door opener



E. H. KIDDER CAR DOOR OPENER Dec. 5, 1933.

Filed June 1, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 5, 1933- E. H. KIDDER 1,938,026

CAR DOOR OPENER Filed June 1, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 5, 1933. E. H. KIDDER 1,938,026

CAR DOOR OPENER Filed June 1, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J2 l8 .7- I7 9 3 r:: ,I Li p P477; 4 Z 17 I j;

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2 7 1/: an 6' 64 g 8 [7? 2/67? for 1150272 eys'.

Dec. 5, 1933. E. H. KIDDER 1,938,026

CAR DOOR OPENER Filed June 1, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 5, 1933.

Earn n. Ki der, Chiea Belt Company, Chicago, 111.,

Illinois Application June 1, 1931.. Serial My invention relates to ag for such a grain car unloader door opening me door and to permit the grain to escape; object is the provisionfof means grain car door out ans which will ain car is tilte rss 1,938,026 can noon orEnEn' 14 Claims.

raincar unloader the provision of unloadal'car filled with grain can 1y be unloaded. Another ion :of door opening means and, particularly, operate; when the djlaterally, to press in the car Another for holding the f the line of grainfiow after it has been opened. Other objects will appear from time to time in thecourse of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my ammatically in t Wherein-- the car door. being opened;

Figure 3 is an end elevation tion, illustrating the opening ment. as

the end of the grain car Figure 4 the platform structure. and

Figure is an enlarge 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5.

Figure 6 is a section along Like parts [are jindicated ovation invention more or less diahej accompanying drawings,

of the parts prior with partsin secdevice in position door opening'moveis apartial top, planiview of one side associated parts;

(1 section along the line the line of by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

cates the bottom of any suitable pit, with walls A bottom A and may be closed as closure members A Referring to the drawings,

acket extending inwar nerally indic belt .upon which the grain the apertures A may be recei for disposal elsewhere.

positioned upon motor which driv motor shaft pinion with the gear B is any so.

13 B indicate base m pporting any tes any suitab which pass the cables B9 BF.

C C indicat These are channelled as a A indicates dly from one, of said the car handling mech- A generally india 7 projection tor e positioned. A hopper with the ved and conveyed embers herein shown as the. bottom .A of, the pit, and suitable frame B le motor, for example anelectric es a gear train including the E the gear B". Associated itable drum B about B indie rollers,'pivoted upon the frame tQC to receive the provided go, Ill.,lass'ignor to Linka corporation of (own-54 arcuate track C indicated as C upon whichin turn is mounted any suitable platform structure C which may have positioned upon its top the track rails C The cables B are dead ended or secured,at their ends, at opposite ends of the tracks C as at C C for example in stop members C? which serve, by contact with the rollers C, to limit-the possible tilt'of the platform or cradle structure above described. It will be when the cradle or platform is in the position in which it is shown in Figures of. the platform C are positively supported. I indicate for example supporting abutments C for the leftside of each end of the platform, and supporting abutments C for the rightjside of each end of the platform, the supporting abutmentsC' being farther from the mid point of the platform than the. abutments C the platform' PAT m oFFicE I I This track ismounted u f? any Suitable pporting framework generauy .65 understood that 2 ands, the ends I being forwardly extended as at C in order to with convex upper surfaces which rest in corre-' sponding concave surfaces C of the blocks C upon the lower-portion of the ends of the frame. DD indicate any suitable clamps for the ends of the car generally indicated as D v and positioned; when inoperative,

posed. to the couplings D of the car, and any suitable means may and drawing the clamps D into operative position when it is desired tosecure a carin place upon the platform. As the details of the clamping mechanism do not of themselves form .part of the present invention, they are diagrammatically illustrated. I may for example employ a motor D drives the shaft D through the gear reductions generally indicated as D5. The shaft D through the gear reductions D", drives the nut D which moves the screw D longitudinally. D indicate tracks along which into and out of operating position for the conveyance of the-clamps D into and out of operative position. 1 e

Extending upwardly from one side of the'platin the pitsD They may include pads or abutment members 1) opthe carriages D may move be employed for raising mounted on the platform C which form C is a bracket frame E which supports an upstanding frame structure generally indicated as E which includes the transverse top structural member E Pivoted adjacent or upon the transverse member E is a hanger structure indicated as E which may be pivoted as at E At its lower end is a guide E upon which is adjustably or slidably mounted the door engaging member E, which may for example have a plate provided with the forward spikes or projections E Any suitable means may be employed for raising and lowering the door contacting member E I'may employ for example the cable E passing about a sheave E and about a shaft E the rotation of which may be controlled as by the lever E and ratchet wheel E and the dogs E E The dog E is mounted on the lever E and serves to rotate the ratchet, while the dog E is mounted on the hanger and serves to prevent unintended retrograde rotation of the ratchet. However, any other suitable means for raising or lowering the member E may be employed.

Mounted on the platform A is the unitary frame G upon whichis mounted any suitable m0- tor G which drives, through its motor shaft pinion G a gear G upon the shaft G the pinion G of which is in mesh with a gear G which is mounted on a threaded sleeve G the rotation of which actuates the screw G to impart longitudinal or axial movement thereto. G generally indicates a universal joint or universal coupling for the opposite end of the screw G I do not wish to be limited to any specific universal joint, but I have shown a block G on the end of the screw G to which is pivoted a yoke G to which in turn is pivoted another yoke G which in turn is connected to a rod G1 which is connected by a similar universal connection at its opposite end to the upright frame structure E as upon the horizontal longitudinal plate E It will be understood that as the motor G is actuated the rotation of the sleeve G imparts axial longitudinal movement to the screw G and thus moves the platform or cradle structure as a whole toward or away from the bracketA It will be understood that the car dumper platform 3 1s supported upon the track C which in turn is supportedupon the rollers C, seating. in the grooves C of said rollers. It will be seen, as in Figures 2 and 3, that when the rails C on the platform C are aligned with the rails C of the trackends, the frame structure C is tilted to the'left, referring to the position of the parts as in Figure 2, and that the weight of the structure thus tends to hold the platformC firmly in position upon the supporting abutments C Any additional locking means may be employed if desired, but the structure is normally gravitally held in position. On the other hand, when it is desired to tilt the car longitudinally and the parts are moved into the position in which they are shown in, Figure 3, the frame structure C lies in a generally vertical plane.

H indicates any suitable deflector whereby grain discharged from the car D may be delivered into the bin A It will be understood that it is current practice to nail inner grain car doors within the normal doors of the freight cars in which grain is shipped. The permanent freight car doors, which are not indicated herein, being slid or moved out of alignment with the door opening, there are still left the boards J of the grain door, which may for example be nailed at the inside of the door aperture. When the car is tilted laterally into the position in which it is shown in Figure 3, the members E and E must be moved forwardly against the grain door. In order to effect this movement I provide a compression member J which is connected at one end, by means of a universal joint J 2 to the hanger structure E At its other end it is connected as by the universal connection J with any suitable cover or housing J which forms part of or is secured to the unitary structure generally indicated as G. It will therefore be understood that as the car structure is tilted laterally to the position of Figure 3, the member J serves as a compression member to prevent the complete unitary movement of the members E and E with the car. As the car and car support C tilt, the hanger E is forced to pivot about its axis E. This first engages the member E with the door boards J, and then forces them into the position shown in Figure 3. Points E normally hold the door boards J in place as a unit and entirely out of alignment with the escaping grain.

In the operation of the device a car is first spotted on the platform 0*. The clamps Dare then actuated to hold it in place. is then actuated to draw in on the member G which then serves as a tension member to tilt the frame C and the platform C laterally about a pivot defined by the rollers 0. However, this lateral tilting movement causes the member J to serve as a compression member and to force the door boards J into the position in which they are shown in Figure 3 as above described. The motor B may then be actuated to tilt the car longitudinally, and the grain pours out through.

the car door and upon the deflector H and into the bin A Any suitable means may be employed for assisting the escapeof the grain, such as baffies or the like, such means not herein indicated as not forming of themselves part of the present invention. When the car has been finally cleared of its grain it may then be rotated back to the position in which it is shown in Figure 1 with the result that the door opener is also returned to the position in which it is shown in Figure 1. The clamps D can then be moved into inoperative position and the car removed along the rails C It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. '1 therefore wish the drawings and description to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing herein.

Because the door opening foot is supported on a stiff pendent link which is pivoted about a horizontal axis above the car floor, which axis moves toward and from the fixed abutment as the car and cradle tilts, and because there is a positive connection between the fixed abutment and the car door opening foot, it will be seen that tilting movement of the car and cradle not merely pushes the grain car door in, but also rotates it about an axis perpendicular to the plane of movement of the car as it tilts sideways and so gives the car door a movement inwardly into the car along an arcuate path, thereby positively raising the car door out of line with the flow of the grain and insuring that the movement of the car door will be positively controlled at all times and will from its inception be in a direction inclined to the direction of tilting movement of the car and to the floor of the car at all times.

The motor G between the fixed adjacent said car and cradle, a car abutment, adapted in response It will also-be noted that because the cradle and car is supported positively by the abutments at the-ends of the cradle, ring or keel which supports the cradle on thetwo lower supporting rollers is' inclined downwardly and forwardly in the direction of tilt, the effect of the tilting meanspulling the car and cradle over to bring the lower ring almost into a verti-- cal position, tends to raise thecar against gravity' so that the tilting movement'is positively imparted by the operating mechanism,independerit of the burden in the of the weight'or character car. This raising movement of the car off its. abutment, combined with and a part of the lat. eral tilting movement, makes especially important the rotary movement of the car door opener which tends to lift the door more rapidly away from the original plane of thecar floor than the car floor itself is lifted above'its original plane bythe tilting mechanism.

It will also be noted that the axes about which the whole structure rotates-for endwise tilt is substantially on line with the fixed abutment so that the universal joint connection between, the threaded sleeve on e is, sufiicient to permit the endwise tilt of the cradle and car without interference.

Moreover, since the thrust member interposed H abutment and the lower end of the door opening link is substantially parallel withand very close tothe tilting connection, the universal joint connections associated with the thrust member permit endwise tilt to take place without disturbing the relation between the car door opener and the fixed abutment, and the fact that the car door opening foot is'held up at a relatively slight slopev enables it to support and hold the door way above the line oi grain flow" during or succeeding-tilting movements, and the door is released and dropped into the car adjacent to the door opening only. after the car has been emptied of grain and has'retu'rned to aposition'whenceit can be moved off of the cradle.

Iic a 1". In a car unloader, a cradle, means for posi tio-ning a car thereupon, an abutment positioned adjacent said'carand cradle, a car door opener movably mounted upon said cradle and including aportion adapted'to be opposed to a door positioned in :the side of said car, and thrust means permanently connected at one end to said abutment and at the other end to the'door opener,- said thrust means being adapted in response to lateral movement of the car toward said abutment, to-

move said-door opener inwardly against the car door, and means for laterally moving the car and cradle toward and away from said abutment, and a universal joint associated with the thrust means.

2. In a car unloader, a tioning afcar thereupon,

cradle, means for posian abutment positioned door opener pivoted upon said cradle, said pivot moving with 7 said cradle and being normally fixed in relation to the cradle and car, said car door opener in cluding a portion aligned with a door positioned onthe side of the car, and thrust means permanently connecting said car door opener to said to lateral movement of the car toward the abutment, to move said car door opener inwardly in relation to the car door, and adapted, in response to lateral A movement of the car away from said abutment,

' to positively withdraw the door opener in relaand because thelower 'ing ,a portion adapted to the abutment and the cradle the arcuate edgeioi the upon which the outer ends of said tion to the car door, and means for longitudinally tilting the-car and cradle about an axis adja cent the location of said thrust means. V

3. In a car unloader, a cradle, means for po'si tioning a car thereupon, an abutment positioned adjacent said car and cradle, a car door opener movably mounted upon said cradle and includ be opposed to a door positioned in the side of said car, and thrust means permanently connected at one end to said abutment and at the other end to the .door opener, said thrust means being adapted, in response to lateral movement of the car toward said abutment, to move said door opener inwardly against the car door, and means for laterally moving the car and away from said abutment, and means for longitudinally tilting the car and cradle about an axis adjacent the location of said thrust means. '4. In a car unloader, a cradle, means for positioning .a car thereupon, said cradle being laterally movable, means for supporting said cradle, efiective when it has been laterallymovedwhich includes anarcuate edged supporting member, a bracket associated with the cradle and moving therewith, extending upwardlyadjacent the side of the car toward which the cradle moves, a door removing member movably mounted on said bracket, a thrust connection element associated with said door removing member and an actuating element for imparting lateral movement to the cradle as a whole, said two elements being both positioned adjacent the center about which the arcuate edge of the support is described.

5. In a car unloader, a cradle, means for positioning a car thereupon, said cradle being laterallymovable, means for supporting said'cradle, effective when it has been laterally moved, which includes an arcuate edged. supporting member, a bracket associated with the cradle and moving therewith, extending. upwardly adjacent the side of the mal toward which the cradle moves, a door removing member movably mounted on said bracketa thrust connection element associated with said door removing member and an ac tuating element for imparting lateral movement to the cradle as a whole, said two elements being both,positioned'adjacent the center about which support is described, and a normallyfixedbase, adjacent the cradle, upon which the outer ends of said members may be mounted. 1 6. In a car unloader, a cradle, means for positioning a car thereupon, said cradle being lat-' erally movable, means for supporting said cradle, efiective when it has been laterally moved, which includes an arcuate edged supporting member, a bracket associated with the cradle and moving therewith, extending upwardly adjacent the side of the car toward which the cradle moves, a door removing member movably mounted on said bracket, a thrust connection element associated with said door removing member and an actuating element for imparting the cradle as a whole, said two elements being bothpositioned adjacent the center about which the arcuate edge of the; supportis described, and a normally fixed base, adjacent the cradle, members may be mountedQsaid members being flexibly con cradle toward I and lateral movement to 1 nected at one end to said base and flexibly connected at the other end to the cradle and to the car door removingmeans respectively.

'7. In a car unloader, a cradle, means for tilting it longitudinally, a door opener comprising a door engaging member, a pivot link supporting it, the axis of rotation of the pivot link being fixed with respect to the cradle and constrained to rotate both laterally and longitudinally with it, the axis of rotation of the link being parallel with the longitudinal axis of the car, means for moving the cradle laterally, said. means being applied to the cradle at a point adjacent the car door, a thrust member fixed at one end with relation to the cradle tilting means and pivotedat the other end on the door opener link, the link being located adjacent the means for moving the cradle laterally, and above the door opening thrust member, said cradle moving member including universal joint means whereby longitudinal tilting of the cradle may take place Without interfering with the operation of said link.

8. In a car unloader, a cradle mounted for lateral and longitudinal tiltin a car door opening means mounted on the cradle, adapted to swing toward and from the car, a fixed abutment at one side of the cradle, means associated with the abutment and connected to the cradle at a point adjacent the center of longitudinal tilting, for drawing the cradle toward the abutment, a thrust member mounted on the abutment and interposed between the abutment and the car door opening member, and universal joint means associated with the thrust member and the tilting link, whereby longitudinal rotation of the cradle may take place without interfering with their operation.

9. In combination with a car dumper cradle adapted for lateral movement and for longitudinal tilting, a door opener movably supported on the cradle, a fixed abutment adjacent the cradle and a permanent connection between the abutment and the door opener whereby movement of the cradle causes movement. of the door opener with respect to its support on the cradle, the connection between the abutment and the door opener being continuously operative to maintain the door opener in position independent of the longitudinal tilting of the cradle.

10. In combination with a car dumper cradle adapted for lateral movement and for longitudinal tilting, a door opener pivotally supported on the cradle, a fixed abutment adjacent the cradle and a permanent connection between the abutment and the door opener whereby movement of the cradle causes angular movement of the door opener about its pivot support on the cradle, the connection between the abutment and the door opener being continuously operative to maintain the door opener in position independent of the longitudinal tilting of the cradle.

11. In combination with a car dumper cradle adapted to tilt laterally and longitudinally, a door opener pivotally supported on the cradle, a fixed abutment adjacent the cradle and a permanent connection between the abutment and the door opener whereby tilting of the cradle causes angular movement of the door opener about its support on the cradle, the connection between the abutment and the door opener being continuously operative to maintain the door opener in position independent of the longitudinal tilting of the cradle.

12. In combination with a car dumper cradle adapted to tilt laterally and longitudinally, a door opener movably supported on the cradle, a fixed abutment adjacent the cradle and a permanent connection between the abutment and the door opener whereby tilting of the cradle causes movement of the door opener with respect to its supporton the cradle, the connection between the abutment and the door opener being continuously operative to maintain the door openerin position independent of the longitudinal tilting of the cradle.

13. In combination with a car dumper, a cradle mounted to tilt both laterally and longitudinally and adapted to support a grain car, a door opener mounted permanently in line with the side door in the grain car, means responsive to the lateral tilting of the car for forcing the door inwardly against the weight of material in the car and for imparting to the door a rotary movement about an axis generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the car whereby the door may be rotated inwardly and upwardly above the flow line of material in the car, the means for forcing the door inwardly comprising a pressure member which remains in fixed working relation with the door opener independent of the longitudinal tilt of the cradle.

14. In combination with a car dumper having a cradle mounted to tilt both laterally and longitu dinally and adapted to support a grain car,.a door opener pivoted on the cradle and adapted to swing toward and from the car door, a fixed abutment, a thrust connection between the abutment and the door opener whereby lateral tilting of the cradle toward the abutment opens the door of the car by thrusting the door opener inwardly into the car, the connection being operative independent of the longitudinal tilting of the car and cradle to maintain positive control of the door throughout the entire dumping action.

ELWIN I-I. KIDDER. 

